The formula behind the increasing popularity of water beds for dairy herds is simple; happy cows produce more milk.
According to Advanced Comfort Technology, which makes dual-chamber water beds, its product reduces the incidence of skin abrasions, bruised knees and swollen hocks that cows experience when lying down. And while this idea may sound peculiar to city dwellers, hundreds of thousands of water beds are already at use in America's barns.

Does it work? According to Bloomberg, McDonald's recommends water beds to those farmers who want to provide meat and milk to the chain, believing the extra comfort produces a better product. For Hawaii residents, the extra pampering will hopefully make dairy farming on the islands a more profitable business, which should translate into cheaper milk.

Ironically, those of us who treat McDonald's as our personal feed lot might also benefit from a water bed -- to support our own ample girth.